Kasper Schmeichel says he may have played final game
Kasper Schmeichel says a serious shoulder injury could bring his playing career to an end, after revealing he may not return to full fitness before his 40th birthday.
The Celtic and Denmark goalkeeper shared the update during an appearance on CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage, where he spoke candidly alongside his father, Peter Schmeichel, and former England defender Micah Richards.
Schmeichel, 39, has not featured since February 22 and is set to undergo two operations, the first scheduled for later this month. The injury will sideline him for Denmark’s World Cup play-off semi-final against North Macedonia on March 26 and raises wider uncertainty about his future in the game.
Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, Schmeichel said: “I could've potentially played my last football game.
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“I've been a footballer since the day I was born. It's devastating. It's very, very hard to wrap my head around at the moment.”
He explained that the recovery timeline could stretch well into next year, adding that returning at his age would be a significant challenge. Despite that, he insisted he is not ready to give up.
“I’m going to give it everything I can to see if I can get back,” he said, describing a potential comeback as one of the greatest achievements of his career.
CBS reported that Schmeichel has remained involved in training despite missing Celtic’s last five matches. His contract at the club is due to expire at the end of the season, adding further uncertainty to what comes next.
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His father, former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, also spoke about the situation, highlighting the difficulty of such an injury for someone in his position.
“Shoulder injury for a goalkeeper, you can't imagine how bad that is,” he said. “Every time you dive to that side, you land on it.”
Peter added that he is focused on supporting his son through the recovery, saying: “I don't want this to end with an injury like that.”
Whether Schmeichel is able to return remains unclear, but the diagnosis leaves one of Denmark’s most experienced players facing a race against both time and fitness.
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Sources: CBS Sports Golazo
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